Electrical connector for terminating insulated conductors

Abstract

An electrical connector (10) includes a housing (12) having at least one conductor-receiving aperture (16) and an associated terminal-receiving passageway (32) intersecting each conductor-receiving aperture (16), and a terminal (40) disposed in each terminalreceiving passageway (32). Each terminal (40) includes a body (42) having a first connecting section (44) extending from one end thereof and a pair of upstanding arms (46) defining an insulation displacement contact at an opposite end. Each terminal (40) is partially inserted into the terminal-receiving passageway (32) in a first position and upon positioning the first connecting sections (44) in corresponding through-holes (62) of a circuit board (60), the terminals (40) can be secured to the board (60). The ends of insulated conductors (70) then can be inserted into respective conductor-receiving apertures (16) and terminated to respective terminals (40) therein by moving the housing (12) toward the board (60) to a second position against the board (60).

We claim: 
     
       1. An electrical connector mounted to a circuit board comprising: a housing having at least one conductor-receiving aperture extending thereinto from a conductor-receiving face and an associated terminal-receiving passageway extending thereinto from a board mounting face and intersecting each said conductor-receiving aperture; and   a terminal disposed in each said terminal-receiving passageway, each said terminal including a body portion having a first connecting portion extending from one end thereof and electrically connected to a circuit of a circuit board and a pair of upstanding arms defining an insulation displacement contact (IDC) at an opposite end thereof for terminating an insulated conductor upon receipt thereof into an IDC slot between said arms;   each said terminal being partially inserted into said housing in a first position such that a portion of said terminal body portion and said first connecting portion extend below said board mounting face of said housing, such that an end of an insulated conductor can be inserted into a respective said conductor-receiving aperture and terminated therein to a respective said terminal by moving said housing toward the board to a second position against the board and simultaneously pushing said insulated conductor into said respective IDC slot,   whereby said conductor is electrically connected to said circuit of said board without the use of solder.   
     
     
       2. A. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein each said terminal is held in said first position by an interference fit between said terminal body portion and said associated terminal-receiving passageway. 
     
     
       3. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein each said terminal is terminated to an associated said conductor and the connector housing is in said second position. 
     
     
       4. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said housing further includes a board mounting-locking post extending from said board mounting face that holds said connector to said circuit board in its first position by means of an interference fit in a cooperating aperture of said board. 
     
     
       5. The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein said board mounting-locking post extends through said cooperating board aperture and a portion of said post locks under said board when said housing is moved to said second position. 
     
     
       6. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said first connecting portion of said terminal is an elongate portion that is inserted into a corresponding through hole of the circuit board. 
     
     
       7. The connector of claim 6 wherein said housing further includes at least one alignment post that extends from the board mounting face beyond the first connecting portion of each said terminal such that the housing can be aligned prior to inserting each first connecting portion of each said terminal into said corresponding through-hole of said board. 
     
     
       8. An electrical connector mounted to a circuit board comprising: a housing having two conductor-receiving apertures extending thereinto from a conductor-receiving face and two terminal-receiving passageways extending thereinto from a board mounting face, each passageway being associated with and intersecting one of said two conductor-receiving apertures, and   a terminal disposed in each said terminal-receiving passageway, each said terminal including a body portion having a first connecting portion extending from one end thereof and electrically connected to a circuit of a circuit board and a pair of upstanding arms defining an insulation displacement contact (IDC) at an opposite end thereof for terminating an insulated conductor upon receipt thereof into an IDC slot between said arms;   each said terminals being partially inserted into said housing in a first position such that a portion of said terminal body and said first connecting portion extend below said board mounting face of said housing, such that an end of each of two insulated conductors can be inserted into a respective one of said conductor-receiving apertures and terminated therein to a respective said terminal by moving said housing toward the board to a second position against the board and simultaneously pushing said insulated conductors into respective said IDC slots,   whereby said conductors are electrically connected to an associated circuit of said board without the use of solder.   
     
     
       9. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein one of said two conductor-receiving apertures is longer than the other of said apertures such that a cable having two insulated conductors with one conductor being longer than the other can be inserted into said conductor-receiving apertures in only one orientation thereby defining a polarized connection. 
     
     
       10. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein each said terminal is held in said first position by an interference fit between said terminal body portion and said associated terminal-receiving passageway. 
     
     
       11. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein each said terminal is terminated to an associated said insulated conductor and the connector housing is in said second position. 
     
     
       12. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein said housing further includes a board mounting-locking post extending from said board mounting face that holds said connector to said circuit board in its first position by means of an interference fit in a cooperating aperture of said board. 
     
     
       13. The electrical connector of claim 12 wherein said board mounting-locking post extends through said cooperating board aperture and a portion of said post locks under said board when said housing is moved to said second position. 
     
     
       14. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein said first connecting portion of each said terminal is an elongate portion that is inserted into a corresponding through hole of the circuit board. 
     
     
       15. The connector of claim 14 wherein said housing further includes at least one alignment post that extends from the board mounting face beyond the first connecting portion of each said terminal such that the housing can be aligned prior to inserting said first connecting portion of each said terminal into said corresponding through-hole of said board. 
     
     
       16. A method of terminating conductors of an insulated cable to respective circuits of a circuit board comprising the steps of: providing a housing having a conductor-receiving aperture for each conductor of said cable, each said aperture extending thereinto from a conductor-receiving face and an associated terminal-receiving passageway extending thereinto from a board mounting face and intersecting each said conductor-receiving aperture;   disposing a terminal in each said terminal-receiving passageway, each said terminal including a body portion having a first connecting portion extending from one end thereof and a pair of upstanding arms defining an insulation displacement contact (IDC) at an opposite end thereof for terminating an insulated conductor upon receipt thereof into an IDC slot between said arms;   partially inserting each said terminal into said housing in a first position such that a portion of said terminal body portion and said first connecting portion extend below said board mounting face of said housing;   electrically connecting said first connecting portion of each said terminal to the respective circuit of the circuit board;   inserting an end of an insulated conductor into a respective said conductor-receiving aperture; and   moving said housing toward the board to a second position against the board and simultaneously pushing each said insulated conductor into said respective IDC slot, thereby electrically connecting each conductor to the respective circuit of the circuit board.